TriMas Corporation Appoints New Chief Financial Officer

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., Sept. 2 -- TriMas Corporation has appointed Benson K. Woo as the company's new chief financial officer (CFO), effective Sept. 3. Woo replaces Todd R. Peters, who has left the company to pursue other opportunities. The announcement was made by TriMas Corporation President and CEO Grant H. Beard.

"Benson Woo is a great addition to the TriMas executive management team," Beard said. "He has 24 years of senior financial experience in the automotive, machinery, electrical products and financial services industries, which will be integral to strengthening our financial discipline, maximizing shareholder value and enhancing our future growth."

Based at TriMas' corporate headquarters in Bloomfield Hills, Woo will be responsible for the strategic financial leadership including financial planning, external reporting, acquisition integration financial analysis, treasury, tax, audit, corporate capital strategies and attainment of TriMas financial imperatives.

Woo has 24 years of solid financial and executive management expertise, having served as corporate CFO and treasurer in large global organizations, including 15 years with General Motors Corporation. He also has significant experience conducting business in Europe, Latin America and Asia.

Most recently, he served as CFO and senior vice president of business development for Minnetonka, Minn.-based Metris Companies Inc., the 10th largest MasterCard and Visa credit card issuer. In this position for four years, he managed a $550 million budget and oversaw strategic planning and merger and acquisition diversification efforts.

Prior to this, he served as vice president and CFO at York International Corporation in York, Pa., where he led corporate financial management, including planning, reporting, mergers and acquisitions, controllership, treasury, tax, audit and information systems.

From 1994 to 1998, he was vice president and treasurer of Racine, Wis.- based Case Corporation (now CNH Global NV). In this position, he was responsible for corporate finance, bank relationships and cash management, foreign exchange, pension investments, insurance, secondary IPO offerings, acquisition financing and strategic planning.

From 1979 to 1994, Woo served in various financial positions for GM in Michigan, New York, Canada and Brazil. He served as finance director of credit card operations; treasurer of GM do Brasil manufacturing operations and CFO of three Brazilian finance companies; treasurer of the GM-Suzuki joint venture; director of worldwide banking and U.S. cash management; manager and senior financial analyst of overseas financing; and business analyst for the GM Fisher Body Division.

Woo earned a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass. and a master's of business administration in finance from Harvard Business School in Boston, Mass. He is fluent in Portuguese and Chinese.

Headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., TriMas is a diversified growth company of high-end, specialty niche businesses manufacturing a variety of products for commercial, industrial and consumer markets worldwide. TriMas is organized into four strategic business groups: Cequent Transportation Accessories, Rieke Packaging Systems, Fastening Systems and Industrial Specialties. TriMas has nearly 5,000 employees at 80 different facilities in 10 countries. For more information, visit www.trimascorp.com .

NOTE TO EDITORS: A current resident of Shorewood, Minn., Woo will be relocating to the Detroit area.